Liz Carmouche vs Vanessa Porto Pick: Bellator 256 Betting

One of Bellator’s biggest shows of 2021 is now just around the corner! Bellator 256 is stacked with incredible matchups, and many are now beginning to debate how the co-main event between Liz Carmouche and Vanessa Porto will play out. Today, I’m going to offer a Carmouche vs Porto betting pick with an analysis on how these fighters match up.

Moneyline Betting Odds: Carmouche vs Porto

• Vanessa Porto (+160)
• Liz Carmouche (-185)

Over/Under Betting Odds: Carmouche vs Porto

• Over 2.5 (-300)
• Under 2.5 (+240)

This should be an excellent fight between two of the best female fighters on the planet. There are some great odds on both of these fighters leading into fight night. Before breaking down the details of this matchup, I’ll quickly explain exactly where you can bet on this matchup online.

Let’s get into it!

What is the Best Online Sportsbook for Betting on Bellator 256?

Bellator is now one of the most popular combat sports promotions in the world. Since Scott Coker took over in 2014, the promotion has been steadily growing. It now has an elite roster of fighters across various weight divisions.

As the promotion grows, more fans are looking to bet on its events. Fortunately, there are many fantastic online sportsbooks providing odds on different Bellator events. I believe BetOnline is the best overall site to wager on these exciting fight cards.

Many betting fans have heard of BetOnline. This site launched about a decade ago and has grown to become the primary internet betting platform for millions of people around the US. The MMA odds here are some of the best that you will find online. Safety is also a priority for this website. There are many secure methods available to deposit and withdraw your money here. These payments typically come with extremely low fees and are processed within just a couple of days.

Feel free to check out BetOnline today. The sign-up process here is easy and should take less than five minutes. Throw a little money into your account, and you will instantly be able to bet on Bellator 256 online from the comfort of home! It’s the perfect site for those with a Carmouche vs Porto betting pick.

The odds on this entire event are fantastic. Fans have some real opportunities to win big making wagers on this card. Now, let’s check out the details of this event’s co-main event.

Liz Carmouche vs Vanessa Porto: Tale of the Tape

Longtime MMA fans are likely well-aware of Liz Carmouche and her accomplishments. She was actually the first female competitor to ever step into the octagon for a fight. Vanessa Porto is a true veteran of the fight game, too, and wants to wrap up her career as the Bellator flyweight champion.

There are many ways to break down this matchup. One of the most obvious is to compare the physical attributes between these fighters. Below is the tale of the tape for this upcoming co-main event.

Liz Carmouche

• Height: 5’6”
• Weight: 125 lbs
• Reach: 66”
• Age: 37

Vanessa Porto

• Height: 5’5”
• Weight: 125 lbs
• Reach: 65”
• Age: 37

As you can see, this is an extremely evenly-matched fight. The slight height and reach advantage go to Carmouche here. Both competitors are 37 years old and have been fighting at a high level for more than a decade.

There’s not anything here that will sway the oddsmakers. These stats are also unlikely to change anyone’s Carmouche vs Porto betting pick. Both fighters should be at a similar physical level when they step into the cage to compete. Of course, the stylistic matchup between these fighters is what most are interested in. Let’s break it down!

Carmouche vs Porto: Paths to Victory

Liz Carmouche is one of the pioneers of women’s MMA. Back in February of 2013, she took part in one of the biggest UFC fights in history against Ronda Rousey. It was the bout that helped to shape WMMA into what it is today.

Vanessa Porto is also a longtime fighter, yet far fewer fans will know her name. She has never competed in the UFC or Bellator but holds wins over some of the best female MMA fighters on the planet.

Both these women have seen it all in the cage. Now is the perfect time to break down the best paths to victory for each of them.

Liz’s Goal

Liz Carmouche has been fighting professionally since 2010. Interestingly, she hasn’t changed her style very much over the years. Carmouche is a tough wrestler who prefers to get opponents to the ground and hunt for submissions.

Striking has always been the Achilles heel for Liz. Her losses over the years have come against fighters capable of stopping her takedowns and landing shots on the feet. Not many fighters have managed to achieve that goal, though.

Carmouche will want to work her strong grappling against Vanessa Porto. Many of Porto’s losses have come against fighters capable of utilizing a strong ground game against her. Expect to see Liz shooting for takedowns early and looking to grab a choke at any moment. A submission win is a common Carmouche vs Porto betting pick for this matchup. BetOnline currently gives her odds of -185 to get the win here.

Vanessa’s Goal

Vanessa Porto is finally getting her shot in the big leagues here. She has been finding tremendous success over in Invicta FC and is now one of the top contenders in Bellator’s flyweight division. She’ll need a win over Carmouche in this bout to earn that title opportunity.

Striking will be a key to victory for Vanessa Porto in this bout. She is a fantastic grappler, yet her striking has earned her many of the biggest victories in her career. Porto will want to stay away from Liz’s takedowns as much as possible and land hard shots on the feet when she has the chance.

If Vanessa does get taken down, utilizing a strong defensive guard will be key. She won’t want to give her back up against a submission artist like Carmouche. Staying upright and landing hard punches will be key here. She comes in as the +160 underdog in this fight.

Final Carmouche vs Porto Betting Pick

Bellator now has one of the best women’s flyweight divisions in MMA. The entire weight class is loaded with talented fighters. All of these contenders are hoping to earn a crack at Juliana Velasquez’s world title.

Making this Carmouche vs Porto betting pick wasn’t easy. These fighters are both true veterans of the fight game and have elite skills in the cage. It wouldn’t shock me to see either of them getting their hand raised. The odds reflect how difficult this bout is to predict.

Ultimately, I think one of these fighters has the more dangerous skills. That swayed my prediction.

Liz Carmouche is a fantastic fighter, yet she hasn’t evolved much in the cage over the years. Fighters capable of stopping her ground game tend to find success. I think that is exactly what Vanessa Porto will accomplish.

Porto has dangerous punching power and will pick Liz apart on the feet from the outside. If she does get taken down, she’ll defend well enough to avoid submissions. In the end, I think she will be awarded the winner via unanimous decision.

Conclusion

Bellator 256 is loaded with exciting betting matchups. Scott Coker decided to put Liz Carmouche and Vanessa Porto in the co-main event for good reason. Many believe the winner will deserve a shot at the new champion.

This won’t be an easy fight for either of these women. I expect a back-and-forth brawl that encompasses every aspect of MMA. Ultimately, however, I believe the underdog will get the job done.

Do you agree with this Carmouche vs Porto betting pick? How do you see this fight playing out? Let me know in the comments section below!